Towards sustainable blade design: A critical review of natural fiber-reinforced hybrid composites and structural analysis tutorials

Abstract

Natural fibers offer several advantages, including lightness, biodegradability, renewability and cost-effectiveness, making them a sustainable alternative to synthetic materials. Their integration into wind turbine blades represents a promising approach to sustainable blade design. This review addresses a notable gap in the literature concerning natural-fiber-based hybrid composites for blade manufacture, assessing their composition, mechanical properties, economic impacts and the structural analysis methods that are often overlooked. Furthermore, specific attention has been directed towards natural fibers that have not yet been extensively used in blade design and evaluating their potential use. In addition, this review proposes a structured tutorial for carrying out structural analyses, providing researchers with clear steps for designing blades in accordance with state-of-the-art standards, as well as the different approaches used to numerically evaluate the blade structure. Finally, this review also highlights the limitations of current practices and outlines future research needs to advance the adoption of natural fibers in wind energy applications.